Kingdom Hearts: River of Shadows
by darkcrushblade
Summary: This is a story of someone who has stolen, betrayed, killed. A person who has saved, loved, protected. This is my story. I am the demon, the angel, the unknown.
1. Expect the Unexpected

Kingdom Hearts: Shadow River

Disclaimer: No I don't own any of the Disney characters, nor Square-Enix characters. I only own the characters I've created.

Chapter 1: Expect the Unexpected

Sometimes there's a clear cut path to choose in life. Good or evil, light or darkness, hero or villian. Those who have these options are the lucky ones, the ones who are respected by all, loved by most and hated by few. Heroes like Hercules, Tarzan, and Sora, to name a few. Heroes that simply do the right thing, no matter what the consequences are, no matter if something bad may happen because of it. Heroes that would spare their worst enemy's life, instead of destroying them.

They are fools.

Then there are the confused heroes, the ones who do anything to achieve their goal. Cloud and Riku come to mind. What's that old saying? The ends justify the means? They lived by that and would probably die by it too.

I am not one of those heroes. I'm not even sure if I'm a hero, or just some nameless mercenary. It doesn't even matter. I do my job, get paid, and go on to the next one. Stay busy. Its the only way I can keep my mind off the past, off of memories that could taint my heart if I let them. So instead of lying around thinking, I throw myself into each assignment I'm given. I do it with such care, such passion, that I am hailed as Seven. Sevens are the elites in the group of mercenaries that I work with. We don't have a name for our organization, just as we don't tell each other our names. We create new code names each time we take a mission.

Why?

No one wants to get too close. The life of a mercenary doesn't have an insurance policy or health care benefits. We die as easily as flies, sometimes beginning a mission and perishing before we actually start it. No one really cares for mercenaries. We are seen as the hyenas, viciously attacing and stealing without care for anything.

We are diseased, avoided by everyone who lives in this city of perpetual darkness.

We are hated, by the family of those who have been assasinated. We are spit upon, by the victims of our theft.

We are feared, by witnesses to our destruction of what they hold dear. And yet.

They come to us, pay us to perform some task they they are too afraid, or too ashamed, or too proud to do themselves.

Ironic?

Damn right it is.

They think they are better than us, and yet we are the ones controlling them. They pay us to be gods, to take life, to create chaos, to protect them.

And we laugh.

They think they have us in the palm of their hand, right beside their money, but they're oblivous. They don't see that we are the ones with the keys. The keys to their life, their fate.

We are angels.

We protect and serve them. Care for them when commanded, save them when asked, love them when paid. We make them laugh, shout, and cry with joy.

We are demons.

We kill them, assasinate them, we completely eradicate them. We bathe in their blood, we mutilate them, we are their worst nightmare come true. We make them scream, bleed, and cry with fear.

We are nonexistent.

We are put away in our box when they don't need us, ignored when nothing needs to be done. We are invisible, not seen until someone's husband has cheated, or someone's kid needs saving, or someone's enemy beat them up.

We don't care.

We don't do this for the respect, because if we did, we'd all have jobs selling cars or something. We don't do it for the love, because if we did, we'd have probably gone mad and committed mass suicide for lack of emotional attention. We don't do it for the intense hatred, for if we did, we'd be the happiest bunch of mercenaries on earth.

We do it to escape. Some people have drugs, but drugs rot away the brain and body. Some people have sex, but one can become easily addicted and have a one track mind. Some daydream, but daydreaming is just one's personal wish, something that most likely won't occur in their life. And some people go crazy, so disappointed about their pathetic life that they spend their time inside the chambers of their mind, not wanting to leave.

We're different.

What we do is far more dangerous, far more addicting, far more idiotic than all of those combined. But we have payoff, literally. There is always something waiting at the end, some treasure, some money. It doesn't matter though, most dont do it for the pay. They do it to get away from boring wives, boring kids, boring friends, boring lives. They do it to feel a sense of purpose, a sense that they're making a change, no matter if that change is good or bad.

"Hey, that girl's checkin' me out."

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

My friend...no associate, was looking at a young brunette sitting about five stools away from us. Every now and then, she'd look up from her drink and glance in our direction. She'd flash a little smile and look down, waiting for the object of her affection to come and sweep her off her feet.

"Sorry, but I believe she's looking at me," I replied, brushing a lock of ebony hair from my eyes. She looked up again and stared directly into my eyes, mine the color of fine wine, her's the color of a stormy sky.

"Damn," my associate cursed, knowing he was defeated. I got up, patting him on the back as I did, and walked over to the girl. I stood there until she looked up and smiled.

I returned the latter.

"Mind if I sit down?" I asked politely. She nodded shyly. I've heard that nice guys finish last, but I have yet to experience it.

"Would you like a drink?" I asked, in that same soft voice. As soft as a cloud.

"No thank you," she replied, her voice melodius. I could almost sway to it. "My name's Airya, what's yours?"

Airya. Beautiful. Fits like a glove.

The bartender awaited my order, and I asked for a water. He smirked and filled up a glass from the tap. I guess to be a real man, one has to order the strongest drink in the bar.

I looked to the girl, to Airya, and saw that she was looking at me expectantly.

Oh yes. My name. I guess there was no harm in telling her. A fake name that is.

"My name's Janus," I lied. "Pleased to meet you." I reached out my hand.

She smiled and shook it, replying, "You should work on that."

"Work on what?" I asked, smiling back.

"Lying."

I stopped shaking her hand and my smile froze.

Damn. Smart as well as beautiful.

I gave a short laugh, looking into her eyes.

"How would you know if I were lying or not?" I questioned, curious. It was not everyday that someone pointed out my attempts at deceit. They usually had valid reason though.

The girl turned her head and looked at the bartender. "Two Twilight Hours, please."

I raised an eyebrow, not at the fact that she had ordered the strongest drinks in the bar. She didn't answer me right away, using my same tactic against me.

I could appreciate the irony.

We were given our drinks and I downed mine quickly, wanting to get back to the conversation. Of course I expected her to sip on it, ladylike and all. Surprise surprise, she downs it like it's nothing.

"You don't remember," she said as she set the glass on the table. "Do you?"

"I remember a lot of things," I replied emotionlessly. "Anything in particular?"

The girl looked hurt.

We are demons.

As I said before, my past is something I don't like to think about.

We are nonexistent. At least we wish we were.

"You don't remember me...?" she asked, her voice berely above a whisper.

Do I remember a brunette with gray eyes?

Do I?

Do I care?

Should I?

"I'm afraid I don't," I replied. "I've forgotten a lot of things...some of them purposely."

"How can you not remember?" she asked. "You've done so many great things."

Me? Do great things? I don't remember doing things for others.

We are angels.

"Would you like to refresh my memory then?" I asked, a little irritated, "or do you want to beat around the bush some more."

"I know your name," she said softly. "Even though you don't use it anymore, I've still treasured it."

"Don't say it," I warned, glancing around.

Who knew how many people in this would love to know my real name. Once someone hnows your identity, you're all there's.

"Why not?" she asked, a little loudly. "You're a hero-"

"Shutup," I whispered fratically.

Too late.

"Tell us about this hero, kind woman."

A man stood up, as bald as he was ugly. But he did have one thing going for him. An insanely muscular body and what I thought was a kick-ass scar under his eye.

The girl stood, eager that she had a little crowd going.

"This," she paused dramatically.

I wanted to throw up.

"This is Develyn Bishop," she continued, gesturing toward me. "The greatest hero of Twilight Town!!"

So she did know my name...damn.

Grunts and whispers of disagreement followed this statement.

I smiled.

"That's funny! I heard he was an assassin and a thief!!"

Baldie had the floor.

"The blood of hundreds are on his hands!!"

Hundreds? Who's counting?

"We'd better get out of here," my associate whispered. "Before things get uglier than that bald guy."

Nice one.

"Alright, let's go," I whispered back, standing up. I was kind of bored anyway. The girl was giving some bullcrap speech about how I had saved two kids from a burning building.

Ridiculous.

"Where do you think you're going?" A man with a mop of blonde messy hair stood in my path.

I wasn't angry, just exasperated.

"I'm leaving," I replied. "Do you want to move, or die?"

We are demons.

At least I am. My parents saw the demon inside. They named me Develyn. They saw me for what I was.

A devil.

Parents can be such a drag. Or so I'm told.

I was wearing a long black overcoat that day. Not for style, although it did highlight the red in my eyes. It's big enough to hide a sword in, and I decided it was time to unveil my friend.

That sound, that excruciating sound of metal aginst metal. Like a symphony to me, a nightmare to enemies.

I grinned as I unsheathed the sword slowly, for full effect. The blonde guy's eyes widened, and he took a step back.

Yes. Rethink life.

I heard another sword unsheathing, the sound coming from behind me. I glanced backwards to see that my associate also had his sword out. He smirked and raised an eyebrow.

I turned back and saw that a lot of the men also had weapons on them. It would be interesting.

"Are you going to let us leave?" I asked quietly.

The bald man looked around, knowing that if he back down now, he would be deemed a coward.

Pride is man's downfall.

So am I. At least these guys' downfall.

"We're gonna get rid of you murderers once and for all!!"

Murderers? That's valid. But they're not calling us saviors, bodyguards. We've worked a lot of different jobs, but we're condemned for the bad ones. It thought they would balance out.

Oh well.

"Then come on," I taunted. "Or do you need some more steroids to get you started?"

He raged, then charged.

The girl was behind the counter, hiding after causing all of this.

Ten on two. Easy.

The bald guy swung an axe, and I blocked it with my sword, one-handed. Doing that looks way cooler than blocking with two hands.

I swung a fist, connecting with his cheek. I heard a sharp crack, as if someone had snapped the leg of a chair in half. He flew back onto a wooden table. Of course it collapsed under his weight. A metal table would collapse under his weight.

I glanced back to see my associate fighting off two people at a time, his long white hair flying around wildly. Looks like he didn't need my help.

Another man swung a sword at me and I dodged quickly to my left. Before he knew what happened, I drove the hilt of my sword into the back of his head and he crumpled to the floor.

I didn't even get a chance to celebrate my victory, because I was attacked simultaneously by three men. So was my associate, so there would be no help there.

I was debating whether I should kill them all, or just knock them out. Killing them would be way easier. I would just wait for an opening and give them the old sword-in-the-gut. To knock them out, I would have to get closer than I wanted to. But.

I had an idea.

I ran back toward the bar, the men hot on my heels, and jumped behind the bar. Grabbing the girl, I slid my sword across her neck, the dull side of course.

"Stand back," I commanded. "You guys wouldn't want this pretty lady to have a second mouth, would you?"

Checkmate.

The guys backed away, slowly. So did the men who were fighting with my associate.

"Drop your weapons please."

They complied, of course. They were good, hard-working men, and they wouldn't cause the death of a girl, even accidently.

I walked from behind the bar, the girl struggling in my grip. She couldn't break it though, she wasn't strong enough. We walked all the way to the door, my associate right behind me with his sword. We were going to escape.

Breathing wasn't this easy.

"Well gentlemen," I smiled. "I have to say that you are the weakest people I have ever fought."

Anger in their eyes. Laughter in mine. Like fire and ice.

"Good day," I said, throwing the girl into the group. My associate and I ran out, already knowing what to do.

It was raining, big droplets that splattered everywhere. I hate the rain. For some reason, it plays hell with my hair.

"See you there!" my associate called, running down an alley.

I took a different one, knowing that we would have better luck splitting up. We'd meet at the hideout later.

As I ran down the darkened alley, I thought back to the girl who started all of this. I've never seen her before in my life, nor have I done all of these good deeds. So who was she?

I was so deep in thought, that I almost didn't see the pairs of yellow eyes that had emerged from the shadows of the alley.

Heartless.

I stopped. Sliding the sword from its sheathe once again. And that's when I heard it.

You hold one of the keys...

Strange voices in my head? So on top of everything else, I'm crazy?

You will help open the door...

"What door?" I asked aloud. "Who are you?"

The door to the light. You will help open it with the weapon of your heart.

The Heartless were still standing there at attention, as if waiting for the voie to stop its speech.

"What's the door to the light? And the weapon of my heart?"

The door to the light. Kingdom Hearts. The place of eternal light, and darkness

"And the weapon of my heart?" I asked.

See for yourself. Put your hands out, in front of your chest.

Sure, I'll play along. I have nothing better to do besides wait for another mission to fall into my lap.

I held my hands out in front.

Now close your eyes, and concentrate. Concentrate on your heart, and the strength within it.

I did. I thought about how nothing has been able to break me, no matter what I've seen. No matter what has happened to me, I'm still here. I'm still standing, ready to face whatever comes my way. I thought of all the abuse I had suffered throughout my life, physical and mental. And I thought about how it had only strenghened me.

And it happened.

I felt something in my heart. Something that was both warm and cold. Something that hurt, and yet felt good at the same time.

I opened my eyes and saw it. A keyblade exiting my body slowly, glowing softly. It was black, blacker than the shadows that surrounded me. The blade was straight for about four feet before curving wickedly at the end. It finally exited and I grabbed the hilt, tacking a few test swings. It was light and easy to use.

Use it well, Keyblade Master. There will be times when the darkness will try to take your heart. Where you will feel as if the weight of the world is crushing you down, but don't give in. You have one of the strongest hearts of all. You will bring peace. You will bring hope. You will bring light. Farewell.

"Wait! What am I supposd to do now?!" I yelled, looking into the sky. At that moment, I saw a star disappear. If I had blinked, I would have missed it. A planet had just been snuffed out.

The voice had left, leaving behind questions and the keyblade. I held the latter up, letting the rain splash off of it. A Keyblade Master.

They say expect the unexpected, but not even they could have predicted this. Me, murder, savior, thief, lover, arsonist, bodyguard, terrorist. The list goes on.

I join the ranks of Sora and Riku. But which would I be?

Would I be like Sora, following my heart blindly? Doing the right thing all the time, no matter what the consequences?

Or would I be like Riku, doing whatever is necessary to do the right thing?

Whatever. I'm thinking too much. I'll figure it out in the morning.

I started to continue my walk when the Heartless attacked. I jumped back lightly and took my fighting stance, the keyblade in hand. The first time. Let's see how it handles. The Heartless rushed me, and I let them. 


	2. Illusionist

Chapter Two: Something to Fight For 

It's almost like a drug, fighting. That adrenaline rush that seems to make you invincible, heightening the senses and numbing the pain.

I love to watch my enemies suffer.

And scream.

And cry.

Am I a monster?

Yes.

But then, everyone has their guilty pleasure.

We are demons.

But I digress. Flash foward to now, the present. The only time that matters.

It's a new world, but new doesn't always mean good. Everyone thought that the hero Sora had destroyed the Heartless two years ago. That he had banished the darkness. That he had obliterated evil.

Impossible.

Destroying every Heartless, every shadow, every evil. It's just like trying to kill every ant that exists in every world, or whatever strange insects they have. You would die a million times of old age before you even began to complete your task.

Now, the Heartless are back.

And stronger than ever.

They're also more ruthless.

And of course, in our hour of need, Sora is nowhere to be found. Neither is Riku, the lesser known hero.

No one knows that Sora is back at Kingdom Hearts, searching endlessly for his friend.

Sora doesn't know that Riku has already escaped with King Mickey.

Riku doesn't know that Sora came to find him, that their friendship never ended.

How do I know all of this?

The keyblade.

As I grasp it's hilt, the memories of past Keyblade Masters flow through me, whispering untold of knowledge. Past events, that no one alive today could know, flashed through my mind.

Geez. Almost.

I Jumped back as a Shadow Heartless dove at me, its small claws swiping the air. Before it landed, I slashed at it with the keyblade. It disappeared, leaving behind a cloud of black dust.

I turned to face the other Heartless, but they were no longer there. In their place stood the girl from the bar.

Except she was dressed in a black, leather body suit.

And her hair was white and short.

And she looked dangerous.

"So you're a Keyblade Master?" she asked, sounding disgusted. "Why would it choose you."

"I guess it was attracted by my charming personality and excellent hygiene," I answered, my grips on the keyblade and sword tightening. I noticed her eyes looking, past me, and I chanced a glance backwards.

Another girl.

She was wearing the same thing, black bodysuit. This girl, though, looked a lot deadlier. Her shoulder-length, hair had a light bluish tint and matched the color of her eyes.

"Hello," I supplied, giving a little wave. She didn't return the gesture.

I'm sure she just needed to warm up to me.

And yet, there was another. I don't know how I knew, but I did.

I looked up and there, sitting in the sill of a window, was another girl with long, jet-black hair. Her eyes were green, and they seemed to glow in the moonlight.

She smiled.

"Don't mind Angel," the girl said as she gestured toward the blue-haired girl. "She's not really sociable."

They all looked to be about my age, early twenties.

And they were all pretty beautiful, truth be told.

And they all had deadly katanas strapped to their backs, for easy access I presume.

"Assasins," I guessed aloud, looking at Airya, though I doubted if that was her real name. "If you ladies came to complete a job, then please," I crouched slightly and tensed, "by all means complete it."

The girl, Angel, stepped forward, unhesitant, but was stopped by Airya.

"Wait a minute, Angel," she said, raising a hand to stop her. "I want to take him down myself." She unsheathed the katana and pointed it at me.

Confident are we?

"Do you know why I'm going to kill you?" she asked as she walked toward me, her lips curled slightly.

"Not really," I answered, returning the smile. "But before you do, could you at least tell me your real name?"

The girl on the window sill giggled, covering it behind a hand. "I do believe he's smitten with you, babe," she joked to my new friend.

"He has to wait in a long line," she responded, not taking her eyes from me for a second. She said to me, "You're going to pay, right here and now. For everything..."

"Wait, I thought you said I was a good guy?" I reminded her, already knowing it was complete bull. I may not have had the best memory, but I know I'm no hero.

She smirkedand lowered her sword. "You believed that? I just said it to rile up everyone in the bar. I wanted to see how strong you really were." She put a hand on her hip. "It seems as if the stories were true."

Stories? I don't remember reading about myself.

"And what stories are those?" I asked. "Excuse me for not knowing them but I'm not big on tall tales."

"They say you're rising in the ranks of the Oranization," she replied. "That attaining the title "Seven" is only the beginning for you."

"How the hell do you know about the Organization?" I asked suspiciously. Such knowledge could only mean one thing. That these assassins were hired by someone had knowledge of us. Someone who was in the Organization.

"Enough talk," she snapped, changing the subject. As your executor I'll grant you your last wish. My name is Sonia. Speak it now, because it will be the last sweet thing you ever taste on your tongue."

"Beautiful and self-absorbed," I observed aloud, a grin on my face. "I like it. You remind me of myself."

"I'm not like you," Sonia said, walking toward me. "You're a murdering bastard."

She had me there.

"Okay, so I may not have a father and I may have killed a couple of people, but-"

I wasn't allowed to finish.

She darted toward me quickly and slashed with her sword. I jumped back and responded with a swing to her head with my sword. She ducked and I concluded my attack with a thrust from the keyblade. She blocked it and began slashing furiously at me, her hands and the sword a blur.

She was fast. I had to give it to her.

But I was faster.

I kicked her leg out from under her, and she fell forward. Before she could do anything, I stepped on her back and held her down with my foot. Her friends tried to come to her aid, but pressing the tip of my sword on the back of her neck remedied that situation.

"Take another step, even another breath, and she'll have a spicy new haircut."

The ebony-haired assasin stood there in the alley, having jumped down from the sill, and laughed.

If thats not the sound of insanity, then I'm a Heartless.

"May I ask what the joke is?" I asked as I struggled to keep Sonia down. "Surely it isn't funny at a time like this?"

"It's just...I wish I could play poker with you," she said, smiling.

I raised an eyebrow, perplexed. "And why is that?"

"Because you put forth a terrible bluff," she answered, her laughter subsiding. "You wouldn't kill her."

So she knew that I wouldn't, but she didn't know for sure.

"How do you know I'm bluffing?" I asked, my smile fading. "Are you sure you want to gamble on a bluff?"

Her smile faded as well. And I knew why.

I turned around to see the girl with the blue hair rushing toward me. She jumped into the air, her sword raised and her eyes blazing. I rose the keyblade in defense, and sparks flew as the two weapons clashed.

I was forced to release the girl as I jumped back to avoid a swing from Angel. I ducked, somehow knowing that the ebony-haired assassin would attack from behind. Her sword wooshed as it but above my head and I jumped backwards, driving an elbow into her gut. She collapsed to the ground, coughing.

Two down, at least for now. The last assassin raced toward me, unafraid. Even though both of her allies were down. I ran toward her as well, but never got to her.

There was this piercing sound. It screamed through my mind and I tried to move my hands to my head, but my body was frozen. I collapsed to the ground, my vision swimming before me.

What...the hell...?

I saw Sonia on the ground too, except she was out cold. I looked ahead, with difficulty, to see Angel staggering.

Then I saw something.

A shadow approaching, the outline of a person walking toward me. I squinted, trying to block out the pain and concentrate on seeing who the person was. But the darkness overwhelmed me.

* * *

Just darkness.

I looked around, trying to find anything, anything that looked like an exit or escape.

Nothing.

Whatever. I might as well just start walking. Maybe I'll find a way out of here.

At this moment, another person in this situation would probably think they were dreaming. I knew I wasn't. Any fool should be able to seperate reality from reverie.

**Why do you deny me?**

The voice came from the shadows, as cold and as hollow as the gloom that surrounded me.

_I don't even know who you are, pal_, I responded to the voice.

**You don't?**

_This is why I was brought to this world of darkness? To be played mind games with?_

**Games are for fools, Develyn. This is reality.**

_Then why don't you tell me who you are?_

**Because you already know.**

_If I knew, then-, you know what? Forget it. Just tell me how to get outta here._

**Out of where?**

_Out of this dream! This darkness!_

**Unfortunately, you will always be in darkness. Soon, you will wish it was a dream.

* * *

**

"Hey, wake up!"

At the sound of the voice, my eyes slowly opened. Someone was standing over me, but I couldn't discern their identity. Everything looked soft and blurry, like a bad photograph.

"C'mon, get up. I know you didn't get beat up by a thief, or something."

"Look buddy," I croaked, getting shakily to my feet. "Thanks for your help so far, but you're no longer needed."

"Man, do you even know who I am?" the figure asked. As he said this, his image began to clear. White, shoulder-length hair, dark-blue eyes, and a brown trench-coat was all I needed to see to know with whom I was talking to.

"I thought you went to the hideout," I said as I rubbed my temples. I had a killer headache and the steady patter of rain, whhile beautiful, did nothing to dull it.

"I did, but you didn't come back for a while so..." he trailed off.

"You came back because you were worried about me?" I asked incredulously.

"Well, yeah," he answered, shifting uncomfortably.

I was more than shocked. This type of behavior among assasins was unheard of. Even partners who had been working together for years wouldn't go back into the proximity of a hot spot to help their comrade.

But then again, he is relatively young, I thought to myself. He only looked to be about eighteen or nineteen at the most. A baby really, when average age of assasins is around thirty. I thought I was the youngest at twenty-six, but my spotlight was taken, so to speak.

"You're an idiot," I growled. A jolt of pain raced through my body, but I gritted my teeth. I began limping slowly down the alley, sheathing my sword. The keyblade had already disappeared, and I was grateful. For some reason, I didn't want the kid knowing I wielded the it. At least not yet.

"And why is that?" he demanded, keeping up with me easily. "While you were unconscious, someone could have killed you!"

"One's life is his own," I explained, looking directly into his eyes. "No one else is responsible for it."

"But Sora always relied-"

"On his friends," I finished for him. "And look where it got him."

The kid looked confused. "What do you mean? Know one even knows where he is."

Oh yes, I forgot. I only know where he is because of the keyblade. "Exactly. He's lost, probably on some dark world where only Heartless live. He probably fights everyday for his life without a moment's rest."

"Or he could be on an island somewhere, sipping a drink and getting a tan."

I shook my head. "Nothing's ever that easy."

"Why not?" he asked. "What's so wrong with having a little hope?"

"Hope is like a bubble," I responded. "It looks tangible, like you can grasp it and hold on to it. It even looks beautiful. But as soon as you get close to it, touch it, it explodes, leaving behind only what you started with. Reality."

The kid was silent for a minute, before shaking his head. "Sorry, but I just can't accept that. I think you're just too cynical for your own good."

"Maybe," I admitted, "but I'm alive, and I've been a mercenary for quite a while. Does that tell you anything?"

"Not really," the kid said.

"Well, as long as you understand," I sighed. We emerged from the long alley onto the sidewalk and I cursed.

"What?" the kid asked, an eybrow raised.

"Where the hell's my motorcycle?" I growled. I looked around frantically, already making plans to find the bastard who stole it.

"Did you forget? You left the cloaking device on."

Oh yeah. "Of course I didn't forget," I snapped, hoping he couldn't see through my lie. "I was just seeing if you were on your toes. Assassins have to be ready for anything."

The kid scratched the back of his head. "Um, okay. Did I pass?"

I sighed heavily. "Let's just go." I went to the space where I left my motorcycle and felt around. My hand touched cold metal and I smiled faintly. I pressed the button that disables the cloak and stood back. The motorcycle flashed quickly then disappeared, then reappeared.

If there's one thing I love, in this entire world, it's this. This piece of machnery that has never failed me throughout the years I've owned it. I removed my trenchcoat, only wearing it for the mission, and tossed it behind my shoulder.

"Nice shirt," the kid said, already on his motorcycle.

I smiled and tugged the sleeves. "What this old thing?"

He laughed and reved up his engine. "Yeah, red's not really my color, but it's still pretty cool. Where'd you get it?"

I hopped on my bike, patting the black metal for good luck, as always, and stroking the words written in red on the side. "It's more of a dark-red really, and I got it at that..." I trailed off slowly, having heard something. A whisper.

"From whe-," began the kid, but I interrupted him.

"Sshhh," I cut in, getting off my motorcycle. The kid did the same, looking confused.

"Listen..." We stood there for a minute, maybe two. Stood there in the dark street, the rain hammering down on us relentlessly as we listened to the night.

"I don't hear anything," the kid finally said. "Maybe you just...just..." His eyes trailed up toward the sky, behind me.

What now?

I turned around to find nothing there, and I returned to the kid.

"What the hell were you looking at?" I asked, more than confused. I just hoped that the kid wasn't seeing things now. But I knew he wasn't. Whatever he saw, I knew he wasn't.

"There was this Heartless," he replied, a frown on his face. "It was the biggest thing I had ever seen..."

I looked back to where the Heartless had been. "Well, it's gone now, so-"

"Don't you just hate those dramatic events where you think something's gonna happen, but it doesn't?"

I whirled around, my sword already unsheathed. From the dark alley emerged a man both the kid and I knew. The kid sighed and sheathed his sword, but I didn't. I had never really liked the guy, personally. I felt an aura around him that just didn't put me at ease.

"Geez, you scared the hell out of us," the kid complained, brushing hair from his eyes. "What're you doin out here, anyway? This was supposed to be a two man mission."

The man smirked as his gold-colored eyes looked up toward the heavens. "I just wanted to enjoy the fine weather we're having here tonight," he explained softly. He ran a finger through his ebony hair. "By the way, did you two succeed in your mission?"

"Of course we did," the kid snapped. "What do you think we are? A couple of amateurs?"

"I would never even dream of such a thing," the man said, his face still turned toward the sky. The rain pattered on his face relentlessly, but he seemed not to care. "However, I would like a summary of your mission..."

"Fine," I said, waving a hand at the kid to calm him down. He looked like he was about to burst a blood vessel, and we didn't need that. "I'll tell you exactly how it went."

The man smiled. "Good." He finally stopped looking at the sky and faced us. "Please, begin. You have my undivided attention."

* * *

"This should be easy," the kid said as he got up from his motorcycle. He pressed a button and it disappeared, leaving behind no signs that a vehicle rested there. I did the same, giving my motorcycle a final pat before I pressed the button. The invisibility cloak was something that I was grateful for, something that was standard issue for the mercenaries that I worked with.

"One thing I've learned, kid," I said as we began walking toward our destination. "Don't go into a mission thinking you've already won."

"But all we have to do is kill this guy and we're done," he argued, walking next to me. "Just one man. And you know that he's dead, even if one of us was sent."

"You must have forgotten that he's one of the largest crimelords in this city," I replied, my hand on the hilt of my sword. The sword was hanging from my waist but was hidden behind a black overcoat. I didn't want this guy to see the sword until it was kissing his neck.

The kid laughed, his bravado combating his ego for superiority. It seemed to be a tie to me. "So he'll have a couple of bodyguards with him. Who cares?" He unsheathed his sword and swiped at the air a few times before putting it away. "They'll be cut to ribbons before they even know what happens."

I sighed, but couldn't help but crack a smile. The kid's enthusiasm was a little contagious.

"Well, here we are," I said, looking up at the building. "Are you ready?"

The kid smirked. "I'm ready for anything." I rolled my eyes exasperatedly and walked in with the kid close at hand. There was a security guard at the front desk, but he was too busy watching some cheesy soap opera to even pay attention to us. I shrugged and walked toward the elevator while my associate stifled a giggle. I glanced back with a frown.

The elevator arrived only a few seconds after I pushed the button and we walked in. As soon as the doors shut, I turned to the kid.

"Do you mind telling me what's so funny?" I asked softly, my voice belying the irritation I felt.

He grinned in response and said, "I was just thinking how everyone's going to blame him after we kill this guy. While he's watching a soap opera, we'll be performing our own little show."

The elevator stopped at the top floor, number fifteen, and the doors opened. We stepped out, myself in the lead, and headed toward the door with two guards in front of it. They couldnt' be more obvious if they had put a giant neon sigh over the door that said, "Kill this guy, he's here."

"Hey you," one of the guards began, holding out a hand. "What the hell are you doing-"

He never finished his sentence, because I finished his life. My sword was out before he even knew what had happened and with one quick motion, I slashed his neck. He crumpled to the ground and I smiled, satisfied. There was no way he could walk that one off. I turned to the other guard to find he had already been taken care of by the kid, his sword justting from the guard's back. He pulled it out and wiped the blood on the guard's suit.

"You ready?" he teased, grasping the door handle.

"Just open the door," I replied, my sword quivering in anticipation. The kid opened the door and there, behind a desk, sat one of the largest kingpins in Twilight Town. No one knew his real name, or even where he came from. Everyone just called him Styx.

"Hello, gentlemen," he greeted us, standing up. He stood up an unimpressive five feet, and his muscles didn't tell the tale of hard work and training. They whispered of laziness and ineptitude.

And yet.

I felt as if he felt he had our numbers.

"What can I do for you today?" he asked cheerfully.

"Besides your life, there's pretty much nothing on my wish list," the kid wisecracked, walking slowly toward Styx. "I was hoping that since I was a good boy this year, Santa would grant me this one gift."

The kingpin laughed heartily, stopping my associate in his tracks. "I'm sorry, it doesn't seem like you'll be having a very good Christmas this year then," he responded with a grin. "But I'm sure if you work extra hard, you can still get a pony and some chest hair."

With that said, guards began pouring out of every nook and cranny, surrounding us before we even knew what happened. Each of them wielded a firearm and confident grin.

A trap. They thought they had us.

Fools.

Poor, lost fools.

Before any of them could react, I charged the one nearest me. He was surpirsed when I slashed with my sword. He then screamed when he realized he was lacking a hand. I cut his throat, ending his horrible racket. It was a little harsh on my ears.

One of the men tried to point his gun at me, but I threw my sword at him, the blade embedding itself in his chest. He collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Without even turning around, I kicked backwards, knocking one of them off their feet and into a bookcase. I didn't care. The bookcase looked like it was unused. Before he could get up, I drove my palm into his nose, causing the bones to pierce his brain. He died clinging to my leg. I retrieved my sword and looked to see how the kid was doing. All I saw was bodies strown everywhere and him standing on top, triumphant.

"You thought six men could take us down?" the kid asked, incredulous. "I could've taken them all down myself!" Our query, having lost his "edge" was now cowering in a corner, trying not to piss his pants, I would imagine.

"P-please, don't k-k-kill me," he moaned, his eyes wide with fear. "I'll give you anything you want..."

The kid smiled. "Well thats great. Maybe we can work out an agreement after all." He held out his hand to the Styx, and he took it, a look of relief on his face. However, the kid pulled his arm quickly, jerking the kingpin's body into the sword that lay waiting.

"It's too bad we want your life..." He said as the crimelord sank to the ground.

"Well, now that that's out of the way," I said. "Why don't we hit the bar?"

* * *

"And that's why we're here," I finished, rubbing the hilt of my sword softly. "Any other questions?"

The man smiled, shaking his head. "Not at the moment. I'll meet you two back at the hideout. Be safe." With that, he disappeared, leaving behind only the rain that was there to begin with.

"What's his problem?" the kid muttered, sitting back on his motorcycle.

"I don't know," I replied, hopping on my motorcycle as well. "But you'd be best not to cross him."

"Yeah, he gives me the creeps for some reason," the kid said, revving his engine. Suddenly, a look of mischief shone in his eyes. "Last one there as to pay for the drinks next time?"

"I can't say no to that," I answered, pushing the petal to the metal. The kid laughed and followed quickly, going as fast as he could.

I smiled, but I was cold.

Not from the weather. As the wind raced through my hair and the rain pelted my skin, I could only think of one thing.

Those eyes.

Those yellow eyes.


	3. Who We Really Are

Well, here's the third chapter of my fanfic. Sorry for the delay, but my lack of a computer will hinder my work. Anyway, enjoy.

**Chapter Three: Who We Are**

"Hey, look at this."

We were at the base, a two story building that didn't look like much but was the center of the Organization. I was just about to knock on the door, but the kid said something.

"What?" I asked, walking next to him. On the side walk, in red words, it read: Anxa is coming! Repent!

"Have you accepted Anja as your lord and savior?" the kid asked me, smiling ruefully.

I rolled my eyes, already heading back to the door. I didn't have time to read the messages that pretty much covered Twilight Town. They weren't unusual, so the writing wasn't a surprise.

Here, everyone who believed in a god or religion believed in Anja and Anxism. The belief in it was at such a fervor, one could believe it was a cult instead of a religion.

As the story goes, Anja, god of light, created the world and everything on it. In those days, its said he lived among the humans he created and interacted with them in everyday life. Then, the light was everlasting, and nothing pervaded its warm glow. Everyone was always happy, and no one fought or quarreled. That is, until a demon of pure darkness emerged. He wanted a world continually bathed in shadow and gloom, and he waged a terrible battle with Anja. His name was Zaleo.

Zaleo and Anja fought furiously and heedlessly, destroying everything around them. Finally, Anja retreated to the heavens, seriously wounded by the demon Zaleo. Zaleo, victorious, bathed the world in darkness. Except the only town or city left standing was Twilight Town, the place where Zaleo made his home.

Death and despair reigned for centuries until Anja finally sent an angel down to dispel Zaleo and the darkness from the world. This angel's name was Anxa, and he was bestowed with incredible strength and powers of light. He was also given a weapon of great and terrible power.

Anxa appeared in Twilight Town, his light dismissing the shadows around him. He challenged Zaleo to a battle, and ended destroying Zaleo easily with his weapon. No one knows what the weapon was, but it was supposedly so powerful that it could destroy worlds.

Anxa then stayed in Twilight Town, training seven chosen people to be the protectors of the world. He left, satisified that his followers could handle any evil that tried to pervade the world. Even though Anxa tried, he couldn't dispel the darkness that crept around the world. But it's said that he created another world of pure light, exactly like Twilight Town that would be revealed when he was reborn again. When someone worthy of his weapon was born into the world, Twilight Town's mirror image would also be born.

It's said that Anxa returned to the heavens, to sit with Anja, and to await the day he was needed again. That they sit side by side watching over us, and protecting us.

"Hey!"

I was interrupted by the kid snapping his fingers in front of my face. I shook my head and knocked on the door, turning back.

"To answer your previous question, no. I haven't accepted Anja." And I never would, because there was no such person or god. If there was, then why was I an orphan as a child? Why couldn't I protect myself back then? Why couldn't I protect her?

"Yeah, I think it's a load of crap too," the kid agreed, leaning against the wall next to the door. "The only people that watch over us are ourselves."

Before I could answer, a slit opened in the door revealing what would have been a pair of eyes if the person had two eyes. Instead, an icy blue eye peered out and a black patch. The slit closed and the door opened, revealing a double-barreled shotgun. Behind the gun was the grizzled old man that stood watch behind the door. Behind the grizzled old man was the dark narrow hallway that led to the main room.

"Do we always have to go through this?" I asked, gently moving the gun aside. "You should know my face by now."

"Yeah," the kid piped up. "Are all these precautions really necessary?"

"You're damn straight they are," the old man growled, lowering the shotgun. "Everybody wants a piece of the Organization, one way or the other."

"Well, as long as you do your job that won't happen," I said, smiling. "Now if you'll excuse us..."

"You punk kids are all the same," the old man muttered, shaking his hand. "Always rush, rush..."

I walked toward the door to the main room, the kid behind me.

"How long has that guy been here anyway?" he asked me, as I opened the door.

"He was here when I got here, so he's been here a while," I answered, scanning the room. The thick, black carpet and rich, mahogany tables and chairs told a different tale than the building's faded paint and chipped bricks. Three, elegant crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, bathing the room in warm light. The mercenaries were hanging around relaxedly, trading information and talking. Some wore the uniform of the Organization: a black, hooded raincoat.

I walked toward the back door, where the Boss's office was. The kid was beside me, already excited about getting paid.

"Hey, how was the mission?" a figure clad in a black ninja outfit asked. Even his face was covered with the black cloth.

"Successful, as usual," the kid replied, giving a thumbs-up. "You should know that by now."

The man laughed, shaking his head. "He's as cocky as ever, huh?" he said to me, jabbing a thumb at the kid.

"Yeah," I agreed, walking past. "Sometimes I don't think he can turn it off."

"Hey, I resent that," the kid replied, folding his arms. "I'm not cocky, I'm confident."

I opened the door to the Boss's office to find her sitting behind her gigantic mahogany desk. A single chandelier lit the room and a book-case stood against the wall.

"Can't you ever knock?" the Boss asked, standing up. I smiled and found myself wondering, as I did everytime I saw her, what she looked like under her hood. She wore the Organization raincoat, except that her's was adorned with a silver necklace shaped like bird's wing. With a musical voice and flawless brown skin, I'd expect her to be pretty beautiful. Her hood covered half her face, only revealing her one eye that glowed a bright yellow.

"Sorry," I shrugged, grabbing a seat and putting my feet on her desk. The Boss shook her head and sat down, motioning for the kid to sit as well.

"We succeeded in our mission," the kid informed her, taking his seat. "Where's our money?"

The Boss laughed, reaching behind her desk. "Straight to the point, huh?"

She pulled out a suitcase, placed it on the desk, turned it toward us and flipped it open.

"Whoa," was the whispered response from the kid as he stared at the suitcase filled with dols, the currency of Twilight Town. Even I sat up in my chair.

"Five-hundred thousand dols," the Boss said crisply, closing the briefcase. "Two-hundred and fifty for each of you."

I grabbed the suitcase and placed it between the kid and I.

"Before you leave, I also have other matters to discuss with you," the Boss said.

"And matters are those?" the kid asked, looking anxiously at the briefcase. He probably couldn't wait to spend some of it on a new car or something.

"As both of you apparently know, each of you are of the rank "Seven."

"Yes, of course," I nodded, leaning back into my chair. "Go on."

"The rank of Seven is a great achievement," she continued. "But both of you have earned the right to join the Unknowns."

"The Unknowns?" the kid repeated, a frown of confusion on his face. "Who's that?"

"The Unknowns are a sect of seven members that govern over the Organization. They are powerful and brilliant, each bringing forth their own abilities and talents to the table. I myself, am a member."

"What do you guys do?" the kid asked.

"As I said before, we are responsible for the actions of the Organization, but our power and influence go far beyond that alone. Since the Organization's creation, seven memebers have ruled over it with wisdom and strength. Whenever a member is killed or leaves, a search is began to find another worthy of the Unknowns."

"And you found us," I said, skeptical. "What makes us so worthy?"

"You two are the strongest mercenaries we have here," the Boss replied. "None of the others even come close to your mission success rate, strength, and abilities."

"So we join your little group," I said. "What's in it for us?"

"Besides power and control?" the Boss responded. She glanced at our newly acquired briefcase. "Your first week's salary alone will make that look like chump change."

Her saying that sealed the deal. I'm a sucker for money.

"Fine, I will accept your offer," I said, standing up. The Boss also stood and shook my hand.

"Congratulations, Develyn Bishop," the Boss said, to my surprise. "You are an Unknown."

"How'd you know my name?" I asked, curious.

"We do extensive background research on potential members of the Unknowns," the Boss answered. She looked at the kid. "What do you say, Andrew? Will you join?"

The kid thought for a moment before standing up and extending his hand. "Yeah, what the hell. More money, less problems. Right?"

"Then I welcome you also to the Unknowns," the Boss said, smiling. "My name is Fayexia."

A knock on the door came before anyone could respond, and the door opened revealing one of the hooded mercenaries.

"Ma'am," the figure said, voice undeniably male. "Three female figures have been spotted standing on the roof. Your orders?"

Three females? That sounded a little familiar.

Fayexia looked toward us, a hand on her hip. "Well? Any suggestions?"

"We'll handle it," I told her, turning toward the door. If it was who I thought it was, I didn't want anyone killing them until I had asked them some questions.

"Wait," Fayexia said, reaching behind her desk once again.

"If it's more money, then by all means..." Andrew trailed off when she threw two of the Organization raincoats at us.

"For two new members of the Unknowns," she said. "And besides, it's cold out there."

I threw mine on and the kid followed suit. We walked out of the door and, as I zipped the coat up, I realized what we had become. We were officially Unknowns.

As we walked up the stairs, the kid asked me a question.

"How come we're handling this?" he complained. "We could just send some of the lower guys."

I sighed and shook my head. "Five minutes on the job and you already want to shirk your responsiblities?" We passed the second floor, which was the living quarters for the mercenaries that slept here.

"It's our job isn't it?" the kid laughed, reaching the door to the rooftop first. As soon as he opened it, hard rain hammered upon us and we both put up our hoods.

We walked outside and I wasn't surprised to see the three assassins standing there, waiting.

The one with the white hair, Sonia, drew her sword and held it ready. "Send our Develyn Bishop and you won't be hurt," she said, tensing. The blue-haired assassin, Angel, did the same and so did the ebony-haired assassin.

I threw back my hood to reveal my face, and their eyes narrowed. Sonia turned to the ebony-haired assassin, "Jackie, take down the other one. Angel and I will deal with Develyn."

"They're pretty hot," Andrew whispered to me, drawing his sword. "Why do they wanna kill you so badly?"

"I don't really know," I replied, waiting for them to make their move. "But I'm going to find out."

Suddenly, quicker than quick, all three of the assassins darted towards us with swords raised. The kid jumped forward too, toward the one called Jackie.

I waited until the last second until throwing back the coat and drawing my sword, the Black Requiem, and simultaneously summoning the keyblade to my other hand. I deflected the overhead swing of Sonia with my sword, and Angel's side swing with the keyblade. I jumped back and swung my sword quickly, but Sonia ducked gracefully and thrusted her sword at me, forcing me to jump up. As I jumped, Angel swung her sword savagely, and I blocked it with the keyblade again, the clash causing sparks to fly. As I landed back down on the ground, Sonia slashed quickly and repeatedly with her sword, but of course none of them got through. As Sonia attacked, I blocked each one successfully with the keyblade and drove the hilt of my sword into Angel's head without warning. She crumpled to the ground and I pressed my attack on Sonia relentlessly, finally knocking her sword from her hands. I glanced at the kid to see him holding the other assassin at bay with his sword. He hadn't noticed the keyblade yet and I dismissed it without even thinking.

"Just kill me and get it over with," Sonia spat, turning her head to the side.

I raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Are you in that much of a rush to die?" I asked, sheathing my sword.

She looked at me suspiciously and got up slowly. "What are you planning?"

"Nothing," I replied. "I just want to know who sent you to kill me?"

Sonia searched my face for a moment, before finally saying, "We don't know. It's an anonymous source."

I sighed, exasperated. "Well, is there anyway I could meet him? Get in contact?"

The assassin narrowed her eyes, but then saw Angel on the ground unconscious and Jackie still about to be skewered. Her face softened.

"We're supposed to meet him tonight at the abandoned church on Derry street," she revealed. "We can take you."

I shook my head. "I know where it is. I'll go myself. If this guy wants to kill me, then he's at least going to see me in person first."

"You need us to be there," Sonia said. "We'll be the bait so he doesn't know that you're there. Then you can come out."

"Why so helpful now?" I asked, curious. "You could've just let us go there and rid yourself of any more trouble."

"It's because Sonia wants to kill him," the ebony-haired assassin spoke up, standing. Andrew had sheathed his sword when he saw that there was no danger apparent. "Because-"

"That's enough," Sonia said, interrupting and throwing a harsh glance toward her. She turned back toward me. "Is it a deal? We lead you to the guy, you see him. I kill him."

"Deal," I said, nodding and extending my hand. She looked at it for a moment before turning away and picking up Angel. She didn't look back, only said, "Meet us at the old train station at midnight sharp. Don't be late."

The three assassins walked away, leaving the kid and I on the roof top. He turned to me, confused.

"What the hell is going on?"

"That's what I'd like to know," I replied, putting my hood back on.


	4. Memories of Nothing

**Chapter Four: Memories of Nothing**

Tired?

_Yeah...a little..._

Yeah, me too... I haven't been this tired in a while...

_Yeah...I guess..._

Something wrong?

_Who...are you...?_

Who are you?

Do you know?

I'll show you...

It was one of those clear nights, the kind where you could see all the stars shining brightly, and the moon hung in the air, pale and bright. But there was an air of unreality to it. To everything.

I stood in the middle of an empty street, still wearing the Organization's raincoat. A cold wind whispered through the street, carrying dust and trash in its grasp.

This is where it all changed for me...

I turned around to find a boy of about five standing there, his head down. He looked like an orphan, wearing ragged clothes and no shoes. Since his head was down, I couldn't see his face. I could only see that he had black, messy hair.

This street... This is where I...

The boy choked up, his shoulders shaking. He still held his head down, as if deeply ashamed and saddened of something.

_Where you what?_, I prompted, scratching the back of my head. I didn't really care, per se, but I wasn't doing anything else.

As soon as I asked, the street, the buildings, everything except us faded away leaving behind an endless white void.

I only lived for one thing back then. One precious, beautiful thing.

The boy pointed toward the figure of another child, most likely a girl. I couldn't see her features, however, because her face was shadowed. The girl turned around and skipped, fading away in the light.

I...I used to protect her...

Suddenly, with a flash of light, the child and I were watching the memory of him putting a bandage on the girl's scratched knee in the street.

Flash.

Another of the girl shivering in the cold, asleep, and him taking off his shirt and putting it on her. Bare-chested, the boy shivered and rolled over in the dark alley they slept in, wrapping his arms around himself.

Flash.

This was of the boy standing in front of the girl, defending her from a group of other kids. The girl was crying and held on to the boy's hand tightly as he yelled angrily at the group.

Flash.

The boy crying softly, his head down between his knees and his arms wrapped around them.

Flash.

The girl, kneeling before the boy and smiling. And that's when I saw her face. That smile. The birthmark on her chin. Those eyes. The same as mine. And that's when my heart stopped. It was her...

Yeah, it's her...

_But, then that means you're..._

Yeah, you and I. We're the same.

I closed my eyes, deep in thought for a moment. This was a dream. That's why I was seeing myself as a child, and why there were flashbacks of her...

_Why am I having this dream?_, I asked.

Flash.

We were standing back in the street where we first appeared. The boy stood next to me, his head down once again.

Remember?

He...ll..o..?

The voice echoed faintly all around us, but it sounded familiar.

Dev..elyn...?

The boy looked at me, his crimson eyes, my eyes, shining with tears.

I guess you're leaving?

I nodded. _Yeah, but I'm sure I'll be back._

Develyn!

The boy shook his head sadly. You don't remember, but you will. You will.

"Develyn!"

I opened my eyes to find Sonia staring at me, her face right in front of mine. I found myself staring right in her gray eyes. I know it sounds stupid, but I felt like I almost got lost in them.

"You sounded like you were having a bad dream," she said softly, not moving, her eyes dancing with mine.

Not knowing what else to say, I replied, "How the hell did you get in my house?"

She instantly turned serious, stepping back. "Rayne and Angel were taken."

I gave her a blank look.

"By the same person who wants to kill you," she finished.

"And? Who is this guy?" I asked, still uncaring. "You gonna tell me finally?"

Sonia's eyes shifted for a moment before she sighed. "His name is Kuja. He is also an assassin, but he decided to test you out with us first. He's very powerful, and he threatened to destroy us all if we didn't kill you."

"I wonder why he wants to kill me?" I thought aloud.

"There's one more thing," she said softly.

"What?" I asked, curious.

"He's my brother..."

I stared at her for a moment before replying, "So?"

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head. She turned toward the door and opened. "Just get dressed and meet me outside." With that, she walked out, slamming the door behind her.

Geez, with all that bossing me around, you'd think we were married. I grabbed a pair of black jeans, my red cuttoff shirt, and my black jacket. I didn't feel like wearing the raincoat, and it wasn't even raining. I grabbed my sword and walked out.

She was waiting outside my little one-story house, staring distantly at the night sky. It was a clear night, and it reminded me of my dream. The sky still wore the moon as its pendant, and the stars still twinkled brightly like polished diamonds.

"Hey," I said, walking toward her. She jumped a little, revealing that she was daydreaming or something. "So what's the situation again?"

"Kuja is a powerful assassin, that uses strong dark magic to dispatch of his foes. He's also a narcissistic, maniacal bastard." She hung her head a little, her voice dropping. "He's also my brother."

"Okay, so this is what's going on so far," I recounted aloud, beginning to count on my fingers. "One, this Kuja guy, your brother, forced you all to work for him in exchange for your lives. Two, he's kidnapped your two friends. Three, he wants to kill me." I shook my head. "Sorry, but I don't care if he's your brother or not. I'm going to take him down."

"Yeah," she nodded somberly. "He's made his choice."

"Alright," I nodded back. "Now, what's your plan?"

I was beginning to wonder why I had agreed to the plan. Sonia was being pretty rough, pushing me and everything. And plus, the rope that bound my wrists together was digging into my skin.

She threw me through the thick, mahogany doors, yelling, "I have him, Kuja! I have the keyblade master!"

I found myself thrown in front of a big, fancy staircase, which led to a gigantic upper hall, which, in turn, led down to the dark hall that I was currently on my knees in.

Without warning, candles erupted into flame, giving flickering light instead of unwavering darkness. I looked up at the top of the staircase to see a man standing there. He had white, wild hair, and dark violet eyes. He wore black pants with silver boots and a long-sleeve purple shirt. And a confident smirk.

"So Mr. Bishop," he said, walking down the stairs. "What brings you here?"

"Just stopping by for a visit," I replied, standing up slowly. It's kind of hard when both of your hands are bound behind you. "You know, to find out why you wanna kill me."

Kuja stared at me for a while before his eyes shifted to Sonia. "Good job, Sonia. As promised, here are your friends." He snapped his fingers, and the two missing assassins dropped from chutes in the ceiling.

"Rayne, Angel, come over here," Sonia commanded, still holding my hands.

"Now, it's time for you to fulfill your part of the deal," Kuja said, stepping forward. "Hand him over."

Now, instead of handing me over, which she did, the plan was to cut me loose so I could smack the guy up. Imagine my surprise when I was thrown right toward him by Sonia.

"What the hell?" I demanded, turning back toward the assassins. Sonia was already turning around, leading her friends out.

"I'm sorry."

That was all I heard as the big mahogany doors slammed shut, echoing throughout the hall and signifying the finality of their exit.

I laughed, out loud. I couldn't help it. I had just been played.

"I hope that isn't a laugh of insanity," Kuja smiled, standing in front of me. "We wouldn't want our little keyblade master faulty."

"How about you cut to the chase and tell me why you want me killed?" I glanced at my hip, noticing that Sonia had forgotten to take my sword.

"At first, I wanted to kill you. I didn't need any more strength added to the already powerful Unknowns." Kuja waved a hand and the ropes binding my wrists melted away like sand. "But when I found out you had become a keyblade master, I decided to propose to you a proposition."

I didn't waste anytime whipping out my sword and swinging it quickly toward the bastard's neck. But I found the sword just barely brushing Kuja's neck, my arms stopped by a mysterious force.

Kuja smiled, and I felt my arms bringing the sword slowly toward my neck. I tried to fight it, but it was too strong, and soon the razor-sharp edge was touching the side of my neck.

"The proposition is," Kuja continued, still wearing that cocky smile. "that, in exchange for your life right now and a lot of money, you will help me bring down the Organization."

With a burst of energy, I broke free from Kuja's powerful mind grip on my arms and swung hard at him. He dodged to the side as my sword slashed right by him, leaving behind a trail of red energy.

"I didn't know your skills were developing this fast," Kuja said, folding his arms. But he looked happy. "We won't have a problem destroying the Organization now."

"And why am I helping you?" I asked through gritted teeth as I swiped at him with my sword once again. He jumped back and shook a finger at me mockingly.

"Because, you're a sane man," he said, ducking as I swung my sword at his head. "And no sane man would turn down ten million dols."

I nearly choked, and I quickly diverted my next swing with the sword, choosing instead to keep it at my side. "What!" I demaded, having to hear him say it again to make sure my ears weren't decieving me.

"Ten million dols," Kuja repeated, folding his arms satisfactorily. "Straight up, as soon as every member of the Organization is dead."

"As long as that doesn't include me or the kid, I say full steam ahead." The thought of ten million dols was making my mouth water, and I couldn't wait to get it. I was already spending the money mentally in my head.

"Yes," he nodded. "You two are new members, so your existence in the Unknowns hasn't impacted anything. It's only the old members we want."

"Good, then I'm definetely in," I said. "What first?"

Before he could respond, the big mahogany doors creaked open once again, revealing a shadowy figure.

"I'm afraid I can't allow this," the figure said, walking toward us. He stepped into the candle light and I cursed, shaking my head. It was the creepy guy, the one with the yellow eyes. The guy that _was_ second to the Boss until the kid and I got promoted. He wore a black scarf, black long-sleeve shirt, black jacket, black pants, and black boots. On his waist were two black swords, gleaming coldly in the candle-light.

"And who are you?" Kuja asked casually, leaning against a pillar. He looked like he didn't have a care in the world, and I guess I wouldn't either if I were as strong as him.

"My name is Xanthe," he introduced himself, bowing. "I would like to join your little plan, lending my skills and power in exchange for money."

"Why do you want to betray the Organization so badly?" I asked, suspicous. If experience taught me anything, it was that this guy was loyal to the Organization.

"Because I'd do anything for three million dols," he replied, smiling.

I raised an eyebrow. "When did we come upon that price?" I asked, crossing my arms.

Xanthe shrugged.

"Well, my offer of ten million dols still stands, no more, no less," Kuja stated. "If you want extra help, you can hire them with your share."

I thought for a moment. Seven million dols was still a ridiculous amount of money, and I probably would need help with the members of the Organization. Fayexia did say they were all strong and brilliant.

"Alright fine," I said to the man. "You're hired. But you have to do exactly what I say, alright?"

Xanthe shrugged again. "I can take a couple of orders for three mil."

"Alright," I nodded, turning toward Kuja. "So what's the plan?"

"First, go back to your little hideout and try to find more out about the members of the Unknowns. Then report back here."

"Fine, I'll go right now," I said, turning toward the door. What can I say? I live by the old saying: There's no time like the present.

"You comin?" I asked, as I walked past Xanthe.

"Well, there really is no point," he replied. "I'm not an Unknown, you and the kid are."

Damn. The kid.

"Do you think I should grab him and take him with me?" I asked.

The man shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt."

I reached into my jacket pocket and fished out a small silver cell phone. I immediately dialed the number, and waited as it rang. Finally, the kid picked up.

"Hello?" he spoke into the phone.

"Hey, its me," I greeted, knowing he would know my voice. We had worked together on several missions before, so we were quite familiar with one another.

"Hey Develyn, what's up?" the kid replied.

"Meet me in front of the hideout in about fifteen minutes," I said, walking out the doors of the mansion and into the yard. I opened the gates that closed the property off from the public and hopped onto my motorcycle. I hadn't put the invisiblity cloak on, so there was no unneeded feeling around.

"What for?" the kid asked, his voice curious.

"I'll explain when you get there," I answered shortly, closing the cell phone shut. I started up the engine and began to ride.

I got there in record time, spotting the kid as I raced down the street. He must have already been near. I slowed down and stopped in front of the hideout, hopping off the bike.

"So what's going on?" the kid asked, walking up to me, his brown trenchcoat flowing in the wind. Underneath it, he only wore some black pants and a black shirt. "What's so important?"

"How would you like to make three million dols?" I replied, answering his question with a question of my own.

"Well, I'd like that just fine," he answered, shaking his head. "But what does that have to do with-"

"I just scored ten million dols," I interrupted him, enjoying the astonished look on his face. "Three million goes to you, three million to another person, and four million to me. And all we have to do is kill every member of the Unknowns."

"But we don't even know who the Unknowns are," the kid pointed out.

"Yeah, that's why we're about to ask the Boss who they are," I said, knocking on the door. It creaked open, and I instantly knew something was amiss. I drew my sword.

"Where's-" began the kid, but I turned around, putting a finger to my mouth and pointing down at the body of the grizzled old doorman. His face was contorted into a look of horror, and his face was pale white.

I crept quickly but quietly down the dark hall, the kid tiptoeing behind me. With my sword in one hand, I pushed open the door to the hall with the other, slowly.

The kid cursed softly to himself when he saw the bodies of the mercenaries strewn carelessly about throughout the hall. Everyone one of them were pale white, and every one of them had looks of absolute fright on their faces.

I walked slowly toward the door to the Boss's office, my senses on full alert. I finally reached the door, and I opened it slowly, my sword quivering, ready to strike.

There, in her chair, was the Boss, except she lacked the necessary life to sit up in her chair. Instead, she was slumped over her desk, her eyes calm and distant, and here skin ashen gray.

I looked around the room and, seeing nothing, closed the door behind us.

"Alright, I don't know what's going on right now," I said to the kid, "but I do know one thing. We're going to have to find out another way to get info on the Unknowns."

The kid's jaw dropped. "What about all that?" he asked, waving his arm toward the hall, presumably at the dead bodies. "What about her?" He looked at the former Fayexia.

"They're dead," I pointed out. "What, do you wanna bury em or something?"

"Well we can't just leave them-" He stopped, interrupted by the sound of a chair turning over in the hall. I grabbed the doorknob, glancing back at the kid. His sword was ready and waiting. He nodded, and I nodded back, opening the door a crack.

Outside, one of the mercenaries was trying to stand. I opened the door and walked quickly to him, catching him as he was about to fall.

"What happened here?" I demanded.

"...He took...he took them..." the man struggled to say, his voice weak. "...took them..."

"Took who, where?" I asked, shaking him. "Make some sense, will you?"

"He took they're...hearts..." the man said, his breathing shallow. "...the man...with silver hair and brown skin...and those yellow eyes..."

I glanced at the kid, hoping he would recoginize the description, but he shook his head.

"What else did you see?" I asked the man. "Anything else?"

"...yes..." The man's brown eyes suddenly blazed yellow. "I'm coming, keyblade master..." I dropped the guy like he was a bad habit and backed off. Those eyes, they were like nothing I had ever seen before. Even Xanthe's creepy eyes weren't filled with that much hate and darkness.

"So, what's the plan?" the kid asked, staring at the dead body.

I sighed and stood up. "Now, we have to go talk to Kuja."

"Hmmm, brown skin, golden eyes, and silver hair." Kuja was stroking his chin softly, thinking. "The only person that fits that description is Ansem, but he was destroyed by the other keyblade master."

"Sora," the kid said, leaning against the wall.

"Right, Sora," Kuja nodded, his brow furrowed. "So I don't see how it could be Ansem."

"Maybe it's his son or something?" Xanthe suggested as he leaned back into his chair. "Or his brother? Someone that's linked to him."

"It could be a multitude of things," I responded, folding my arms. "Right now, we just have to focus on how I'm going to get in touch with the Unknowns."

"Actually, I'm sure they'll try to get in touch with you," Kuja said. "You two are now officially Unknowns, so they're going to want to know what happened from two reliable sources."

"So, in other words, sit tight until something happens," the kid translated, smiling. "I'm cool with that."

"Good," Kuja nodded, walking toward the staircase. "If you get any new information, don't hesitate to come. If you'll excuse me..." He walked up the stairs and disappeared from sight.

"Well, I guess we can just all head back home?" I said, shrugging. "When can we all meet up again?"

"I say at seven, on the dot, at the abandoned church," the kid said. "We can make that our new hideout for now."

Xanthe shrugged and disappeared right in front of us.

"Man that guy's wierd," the kid said, shaking his head.

"He sure is," I agreed, opening the doors to the outside. Waiting for us out there were three shadowy figures, clad in the Organization raincoat. But, gleaming in the moonlight were the silver necklaces that adorned the the Boss' raincoat. Which meant...

"You all are the Unknowns."

From out of the shadows stepped one of them, a young man with wild red hair and gleaming, emerald-green eyes. He grinned at me and waved a hand over the figures behind him.

"You're right," he said. "We are the Unknowns, and my name is Axel." He walked forward, sticking out a hand. I grabbed it and shook it.

"I already know your names so you don't have to tell me," Axel said, turning toward his comapnions. "I'd like to introduce you to Larxene." He waved toward a cute blonde with cold blue eyes. She smiled sweetly and gave a little wave.

"And Riku," he said, as a silver-haired teen with aqua-green eyes emerged from the dark. The boy gave a half wave of disinterest, but I was in shock. Here was one of the keyblade masters, joined up with the Organization?

"What happened to Fayexia?" The blonde chick, Larxene asked.

"We don't know," I shrugged. "We went to the hideout and everyone was finished. One guy was alive for a minute, and he said that some guy with silver hair and yellow eyes did it."

At that, Riku's eyes widened, and he looked away quickly. I rose an eyebrow, but said nothing. Not yet.

"Ansem," Axel sighed, tapping his foot on the ground. "It's like that guy won't die."

"Tell me about it," Riku muttered.

"Well, we need to regroup and give you both a lot of information," Larxened said, stretching. "Plus I'm tired. Can we go already?"

"Yeah," Axel nodded, turning toward us. "As your first gift for joining the Unknowns, I'll bestow you both with this gift." He rose his arms above us and I felt a strange power radiate within me.

"You can now tear a hole in space and travel wherever you like," Axel said, grinning. "Pretty cool huh?"

Before we could answer, he whipped out a gigantic, spiked wheel and sliced at the air. Suddenly, a black rip appeared in the air and Axel stepped through it.

"Follow me, newbies," he called back as he disappeared.

Andrew looked at me before shrugging and walking in. I gestured toward the portal and bowed, smiling at Larxene. "Ladies first."

"Thank you," she replied, smiling. She walked through, disappearing instantly.

Riku was about to walk in, but I grabbed his coat, pulling him back.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded. "I thought you were with the king?"

"How do you know about the king? Or me?" The boy looked at me suspicously, so I summoned the keyblade to my hands. His eyes nearly popped out.

"You're a keyblade master too!" he exclaimed, summoning his keyblade. "But how?"

"I don't really know, or care for that matter," I replied. "All I want to know is why you're with the Organization."

"I'm going to bring them down, from the inside," Riku said. "It's the only way."

I couldn't believe my luck.

"Then we have a lot to talk about," I told him, a smile on my face.


	5. Dark Side of the Moon

I thank everyone for the comments and criticisms I've received lately. Here is the next chapter of the story. Enjoy.

"Peace is but a shadow of death,  
Desesperate to forget its painful past...  
Though we hope for promising years.  
After shedding a thousand tears,  
Yesterday's sorrow constantly nears.  
And while the moon still shines blue,  
By dawn, it will turn to scarlet hue."  
-Kuja,_Final Fantasy 9_

**Chapter Five: Dark Side of the Moon**

"Did you enjoy the ride?"

This was asked by Axel, who was waiting by the black portal that we emerged from. It seemed like he was never serious, with that big grin on his face. Most people would think he was an idiot, with that stupid smile, but I knew better.

"It was pretty smooth," I answered, looking around. The room we were in was dark, so dark I couldn't see anything. I could only see the doorway leading out, which was lit with candles. Larxene was already walking toward it, her quick footsteps echoing in the room.

Axel followed, waving for us to follow. "Come on. It's time you met the other members." Riku followed behind him, but the kid hung back, walking next to me.

"I don't really like this," he whispered through gritted teeth.

"You don't like anything," I replied, rolling my eyes. "You always have a bad feeling, or you don't like it, or something isn't right. Just relax."

"Fine," he huffed, turning his head. "Just don't blame me when it hits the fan."

I smirked, walking out into the hall. Riku was waiting for us, tapping his foot impatiently. My smile widened. He kind of looked like an exasperated mom, trying to get her kids indoors.

"Hurry up," he hissed, turning around. "There's no time to chit-chat." He began walking down the hall.

"Who does that kid think he is?" the kid demanded, walking next to me.

"A keyblade master," I answered, staring at the back of his head. The boy must have something up his sleeve, if he planned to take down the Organization himself.

"What!" the kid exclaimed, a little loudly. I shushed him appropriately and continued.

"Yeah, he's the guy Sora had to fight for the keyblade," I told him as we wlaked.

"How do you know?" the kid asked, doubtful.

"Because I've been alive longer than you," I retorted, walking through a door that Riku just entered. Inside, the room was dimly lit with a chandelier of candles that hung in the middle of the ceiling. In the middle of the room was a huge black table, and it was already occupied. Three figures were sitting there, talking quietly. Larxene and Riku sat down at their chairs, but me and the kid didn't know where to sit. At least, I didn't anyway.

"Sit right here," Axel said, motioning toward a chair next to Larxene. "And you sit over there," he said to the kid, motioning toward a chair next to Riku. We each sat where we were suppposed to and waited. As I sat, I glanced at Larxene and she gave me a sly wink. I smiled in response, not knowing what else to do.

One of the figures got up, and his face was revealed by the candle-light. He had wild, bluish hair and a thin, refined face. His eyes were a deep, dark purple, and he wore a thin, confident smile.

"I am Zexion," he introduced himself, bowing slightly. He gestured toward another man, this one with long pale blonde hair, and almost femine features. "This is Vexen." He gestured toward, a big hulk of a guy, who had red hair that was slicked back. "That's Lexaeus."

"And I'm Marluxia," a man with wild, long brown hair stood up, glancing at Zexion with a sneer. "Sorry, but I don't need to be introduced b anyone but myself."

"As you wish," Zexion smiled, sitting back down. " He whispered something to Vexen, who nodded gravely in response.

I couldn't help but smile. By the look of things, they were all ready to take themselves down. Maybe my work wouldn't be so hard after all.

"First of all, I'd like to welcome our two newest members, Develyn and Andrew," Zexion said, nodding at the kid and I. We nodded back.

"First, we already know that you're planning to destroy us with Kuja," Zexion said, leaning back into his chair smugly.

I froze for a second, my hand twitching a bit. I glanced at the kid and saw that his eyes were as wide as saucers.

"I must say, it's a brilliant plan," Zexion continued, smiling. "Gain his trust, and then destroy him. Show him that the Organization is nothing to be trifled with."

I saw the kid let out a breath, visibly relieved.

"It seemed like the only thing to do," I shrugged, acting along with the play. "We don't get opportunities like that everyday."

"But, what if they really do plan to betray us?" This came from the blonde guy, Vexen. His face was serious, and he rested his chin on folded hands. "Maybe they're playing us right now."

All eyes were on the the kid and I, but mostly me as I was assumed leader of the little group. I couldn't think of anything to say. I was speechless.

"He's not an idiot," Axel came to my defense, grinning confidently. "Who would you side with? Us, or Kuja?"

"That's true!" Lexaeus laughed, pounding the table. "Kuja's power is nothing compared to ours."

As they all talked, I watched everyone else. Larxene was staring at her nails boredly. Riku was staring at the table, his arms folded. Axel was leaned back into his chair, his hands behind his head.

But the most disconcerting person was Marluxia. The only thing he was doing was staring at me, his dark, brown eyes feeling me out coldly. It almost felt like he was reading my every move.

"Where is your coat?" he asked suddenly, his eyes narrowed.

"What?" I replied, off guard. For some reason, the guy looked really pissed.

"I said, where is your coat?" he repeated. "You are an Unknown, not some street punk. Have some pride."

Something in his tone angered me, as if he were better than me. I stood up, my hand on my sword. "If you have a problem with the way I dress," I said, drawing my sword halfway from its scabbard. "Then why don't we go outside and talk about it?"

Marluxia stood up quickly, a wicked smile on his face.

"Whoa, whoa," Axel held his hands up, standing up. "Both of you, chill out. The last thing we need is to crumble from the inside out."

"Maybe later then?" I asked, sheathing my sword. I sat down.

"Anytime," he smirked, also taking his seat.

The kid raised an eyebrow, probably signaling that I should cool it. But I didn't want to.

Larxene sighed. "Are we done?"

"No, we aren't," Vexen snapped. "I swear sometimes you are a child. Just sit there and be quiet."

Larxend frowned for a moment before leaning back into her chair, and returning to her nails.

"Now," Zexion continued, "the question is, when should we kill Kuja?"

"I say, as soon as possible," Lexaeus growled. "We don't want him to build a little group of warriors to try and take us out. Get him while he's still in the planning stages, that's my take on it."

I immediately thought about my ten million dols, and I got a mental picture of it being flushed down a toilet. I spoke up.

"I think we should leave him for now," I said. Everyone looked at me.

"Why do you think that?" Zexion inquired, his eyes curious. "Lexaeus makes a good point."

"Yeah, he does," I said, nodding. "But, if we wait, he'll let his guard down little by little, until there's nothing left. Right now, he's keyed up and on guard, but get him comfortable, to where he thinks he can win. Until he's nice and cocky. Then, we strike."

No one said anything for a while, and I sat back into my chair. Hopefully, they'd see things my way, because if they wanted to kill Kuja, I wouldn't get my money.

"That sounds reasonable enough," Vexen said, nodding slowly. It looked like he was thinking deeply about the situation. "Man's ego is his Achille's heel."

"Kuja is a smug bastard," Lexaeus agreed. "Maybe he'll get careless as time goes on. Not a bad idea."

"What do you all think?" Zexion asked of the rest of them. Riku shrugged, and so did Axel. Larxene continued looking at her nails, ignoring the entire thing. Marluxia, the only person I didn't want to talk, spoke up.

"Kuja is a cold, calculating man. He's also smart enough not to get careless when he's close to his goals. What makes you think he'll slip up as time wears on?"

I gritted my teeth, holding back the stream of curse words begging to be let loose. "Because, like you said, he's a man. And you know that whenever people think things are going their way, they begin to get fearless and careless. At least, you should know. You're not an idiot."

Marluxia's jaw twitched. "You're right," he nodded, staring at me coldly as he sat down. "I'm not an idiot."

"Well, that's all we need to talk about today," Zexion said, standing up. "Tomorrow, same time. Here once again." With that, he walked out.

"I welcome both of you to the Unknown," Lexaeus said, as he walked out the door. "Hopefully, you two will be strong assets to us."

Marluxia stood up, gave me a glare, and walked out. I guess he had something else to do that was more important than welcome the new guys. Like read up on ways to be the best bastard he could be.

Vexen also walked out, saying nothing to no one, only stroking his chin in thought. Only Riku, Larxene, Axel, the kid, and I remained in the dark room.

"Well, I'm off," Larxene chirped, getting to the door before looking back and winking. "Nice meeting you Develyn." Then, as if remembering, she glanced at the kid, "You too, uh..."

"Andrew," the kid muttered, shaking his head.

"Yeah, I knew that," Larxene said, smiling. "Well, bye anyway." With that, she walked out the door.

"So, what happens right now?" I asked Axel. I really didn't know what to do next, and I was hoping the red-head would have some kind of clue.

Instead, he shrugged. "I dunno. There's really nothing to do right now. Just keep tabs on Kuja, I guess. See what he's up to and report back to us." With that, he whipped out his weapons and sliced the air, creating another portal. He stepped through it without a backward look and it closed behind him.

Now it was just me, Andrew, and Riku. I turned to the latter, full of questions.

"Could you come with us so we could talk?" I asked, deciding to use the newly acquired gift of teleportation. I concentrated and a dark portal opened up.

Riku frowned, his head bowed in thought. Finally, he nodded. "Yeah, why not? I have some questions of my own." With that, he stepped through the portal.

The kid stood there for a moment, and I asked, "What are you waiting for?"

He shook his head. "I really don't know what's going on right now. I feel like I've just been dragged into some huge mess."

It almost sounded like he was building a case, so that he could back out of this. It was fine with me, and it meant more money for myself.

"So does that mean you don't want three million dols?" I inquired, an eyebrow raised.

"Hell no," the kid replied, shaking his head. "I just...need to get my bearings is all." He stepped into the portal and disappeared into the darkness.

I sighed. The last thing I needed was the kid not taking this seriously and getting hurt or possibly killed. I didn't want to have to deal with that situation.

I stepped into the portal, and for a brief second, I felt weightless. Like I was hanging in the air, held up by invisible hands. It ended quickly, however, and I found myself back outside of Kuja's mansion. The portal closed behind me.

"So, where do you wanna go?" Riku asked, folding his arms. "I don't have all night."

"How about to the abandoned church?" I suggested, ignoring the boy's tone and walking toward my motorcycle. It was still parked outside of Kuja's huge rusty gates.

"Yeah, I'm sure no one's there right now," the kid said, glancing at the clock tower. It was the biggest building in the city, and it was visible from any place in it.

"Alright, let's go," I said, hopping onto my bike. I revved the engine.

"How about I just teleport there?" Riku said, and without waiting for a response, he disappeared into a portal.

"He's kind of a bastard," the kid said reflectively as he climbed onto his motorcycle.

"Yeah," I agreed, before I drove off into the road. I put the petal to the metal, wanting to get there as soon as possible. I had a lot of questions.

We arrived at the church in record time, and we both headed toward the front entrance after getting off our bikes. The church in front of us was neglected now, dirty and dilapidated. Ever since there was a new, better church built in the middle of the city, people just pretty much forgot about this one.

I pushed open the front door and it creaked loudly, echoing throughout the dark, main hall of the church. I walked in, my footsteps loud and cold on the hollow wooden floor. As we walked past the broken pews and statues and deeper into the church, the darkness was left behind and cold, pale light slowly emerged.

In the middle of the light was Riku, sitting down, his eyes closed. Waiting. There was a hole in the roof, and the full moon bathed the boy in its cold, soft embrace.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" Riku asked, opening his eyes. "Besides the fact you're a keyblade master."

The kid's jaw dropped and I would've paid a hundred dols right there to have a picture of his face. I chuckled a bit, not able to hold it back.

"You're a keyblade master?" the kid asked, his eyes wide with shock. "But...how? When...?"

Instead of answering him, I summoned the black keyblade to my hand. It gleamed coldly in the moonlight.

The kid just stared at it, his mouth still open. He was stunned.

"Can we continue please?" Riku asked tersely. "I have things to do, you know?"

"First, where is Sora?" I asked eagerly. "If he was with us, we could take down the Organization with ease."

Riku's eyes shifted at this. "He's...not around right now," he finished lamely.

I knew that I'd get nothing on that, so I went to my next question. "How did you become an Unknown?"

"I was referred to by the Superior," Riku answered. "The Superior is the master of the Organization. He saw something in me that compelled him to make me one."

The Superior. I wanted to know more about him, but I had many other questions to get through.

"Who's Ansem?" I asked, watching him carefully. His face remained composed, however. Not like last time.

"Ansem is, was, a king and scientist. He experimented with the Heartless, and they poisoned his mind with darkness. He was the person we had to fight to stop him from releasing the darkness of Kingdom Hearts."

"Kingdom Hearts?" I repeated, remembering the voice. "What is Kingdom Hearts anyway?"

"Kingdom Hearts is the place of eternal light and darkness. It is the place where the Heartless are born, and where the Heart of all beats."

"The Heart of all?" the kid said, his eyes full of wonder. "The Heart of all what?"

"Of everything," Riku answered, standing up. "Of every living thing, of every planet, of every universe."

"I thought the Heartless' one goal in life was to consume hearts?" I asked, confused. "How could they come from where the Heart of all lies?"

"Because that's where everything came from," Riku explained. "Anything and everything emerged from the Heart, and if the Heartless ever got to it..."

"It's curtains..." I finished for him, nodding.

"Exactly," Riku said. "Which is why I have to take out the Organization before anything happens."

"Why the Organization?" the kid asked. "What can they do?"

"I can't tell you," Riku said, shaking his head. "But just know that I will need your help, both of you."

I laughed at that. "You expect us to just blindly follow you without knowing what we're getting into?" I shook my head. "No, no my friend. Either you tell us what's going on, or you're on your own."

"But, you're supposed to help me," the boy stuttered. "The King said you would."

"The King?" I repeated, astonished. "King Mickey? He said that we would meet up?"

"Yeah," Riku answered, slowly and suspicously. "How do you know King Mickey?"

I guess it was time to fess up.

"Whenever I concentrate with the Keyblade, I can see glimpses of the other keyblade masters," I explained, holding up the keyblade again. "But its only happened once."

"You can...see Sora...?" The boy looked almost pained.

"Only if I want to," I informed him, dismissing the keyblade. "But I don't like to, and I don't want to catch him in the middle of a shower or something."

He didn't even crack a smile, only gave me this blank stare before turning his back. I glanced at the kid, who shrugged indifferently.  
I guess the boy just didn't know funny when he heard it.

"Anyway, will you help me take down the Organization or not?" Riku asked, his back stil turned.

I glanced at the kid again, this time raising an eyebrow in question. He shrugged again, and I also shrugged. Why not? I was gonna get paid anyway to kill them, why not act like I'm doing the boy a favor.

"Alright, we'll help you," I told Riku. He turned around, his face solemn. "But," I added, "you have to tell us what power the Organization has that can destroy the Heart."

He thought for a moment before nodding. "Fine, I'll tell you," he said. "King Mickey said not to tell anyone, but I guess I'll have to make an exception."

Who is he...?

The voice in my head, the voice of my worst nightmares and sweetest dreams. The voice I knew but didn't know. I was hearing it once more.

"The Organization plans to revive something, something that could break down the walls that protect the Heart. I don't know if it's a monster, or a weapon, or what. All I know, is that we can't allow them to revive it." Riku took a deep breath before continuing, "King Mickey said that, in order to truly destroy the Unknowns, we have to take them down here, in reality."

"In reality?" the kid repeated, scratching his head. "Come again?"

"Last time Sora and I tangled with the Unknowns, was in Castle Oblivion. A place where memories were reality, and reality was illusion." He closed his eyes as he thought back. "We couldn't kill them, the Unknowns, because they weren't truly there, in the sense that we're here."

I felt like he was talking in riddles, and I hate riddles. So I responded in the only way I knew how.

"Huh?"

"Castle Oblivion was created from Sora's memories," Riku explained. "Everything he experienced in there had something to do with his memories, even the ones that weren't his. Sora met the Unknowns in Castle Oblivion, and so did I. Even though we destroyed them, it didn't matter. They're just shells."

"What do you mean by shells?" I asked, still not following him. All I got from his explanation was that Sora was building castles with his mind. It was kind of creepy when I thought about it.

"The Unknowns have many abilities," Riku said, folding his arms. "One that they use most often is duplication. Instead of getting their hands dirty, they send duplicates of themselves out to do their work for them."

"So, were those the real guys in there?" the kid asked.

"Yeah," Riku replied with a nod. "They trust us, so they reveal themselves to their own kind."

"So all we have to do is take them down at one of the meetings, right?" I got a mental picture of my hands strangling Marluxia's neck and I smiled.

Riku shook his head. "If it were that simple, it would have already been done."

"Yeah, but it hasn't been tried by us yet," the kid pointed out smugly. "Don't forget that we were the best mercenaries in the Organization."

"And now, you're in the Unknowns, and you're both low on the foodchain," Riku replied coldly. "Don't forget that these are very powerful people you're dealing with. On top of that, they won't hesitate to kill one of their own if they feel threatened."

"So, in conclusion, don't mess with them," I smirked. "Well, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were afraid."

Riku looked up, his face solemn. "I am."

Before any of us could say something else, the shadows around us began to move. Bright yellow eyes appeared in the dark, staring intently at us.

"Heartless," Riku hissed, summoning a black and red keyblade to his hand. "They're all around us."

He was right. The shadows danced around us like flametongues, and we stood in the middle, our backs to eachother and weapons drawn. I summoned the keblade, simultaneously drawing the Black Requiem. Two keyblade masters and a competent swordsman. I thought we'd be alright.

Until, the shadows merged together. Until they formed one of the biggest Heartless I had ever seen. It had tiny legs, but made up for it with a huge upperbody. In the middle of its stomach was a hole cut in the shape of a heart, and it had what looked like thick strands of hair dangling from its head. It kept growing bigger and bigger, until it rose out of the church, breaking through the roof.

"A Darkside," Riku said, taking a step back. "I wasn't expecting that. I guess that means..."

"So, what do you wanna do?" I asked, backing up with him. "Fight or flight?" The kid also backed away slowly, his eyes filled with what looked like wonder.

"We should fight it," Riku said, stopping. "It could hurt innocent people."

"Well then, what do you know about it?" I asked as it began to stomp toward us. "Does it have any weaknesses?"

Riku nodded, crouching into a swordfighting stance. "Its hands and face. That's what you need to aim for."

I nodded, all ready to charge when I noticed something. The Heartless wasn't even looking at us anymore. Instead, it was staring at the clocktower.

"Hey, what's up with our boy?" the kid wanted to know, gesturing toward the Darkside. "He seems a little preoccupied."

Suddenly, the Darkside began walking toward the clocktower, crushing anything that got in its way.

"We have to stop it!" Riku cried, running after it and out of the huge hole in the wall the Darkside had created. "Before it hurts someone."

Before he could get any further, however, Shadow Heartless began emerging from the darkness. Unlike the Darkside, they attacked us instantly.

"Keep moving!" Riku called back, cutting a swathe through the army of Heartless that had appeared before us. "We have to get to that Darkside!"

"Why are you so frantic about it!" I shouted back, running and dodging to my left as a Shadow Heartless flew toward me. I continued running, slashing at the Heartless that were all around me. I looked back to see the kid jumping through the hole and onto the street we were all in. He began slashing left and right.

"Hurry up!" I looked back toward where the Darkside had went to see that Riku was far ahead. I looked back just in time to see a Heartless slam hard into the kid's back. He fell to his knees.

Now, I had a choice. Either I could keep going and help Riku take down that huge Heartless, or I could turn back and help the kid. Then I remembered that I hated the townspeople.

I ran back, slashing quickly but strongly as Heartless tried to attack. The kid didn't look like he was going to make it. His sword had fallen from his fingers, and his eyes were blank and distant. The Heartless all around him were tearing at him, clawing their way to his heart. But I got there first.

With a few swipes, all of the Heartless around him were gone. I picked up the kid and ran, not really knowing what to do. There were Heartless everywhere and he was injured. How would he survive?

As if reading my mind, the kid said, coughing, "Just leave me here. I'm no use anymore..."

"That's cute," I replied as I ran, my breath short. "Did you get that one from a movie?"

The kid laughed weakly before coughing up dark blood. "Yeah, it was a matinee. Only three dols per movie..."

My arms began to burn after running with the kid for a while, and dodging the Heartless left and right didn't make it any easier. I stopped, looking around for something, someplace, where I could put the kid, who was now unconscious.

Then I remembered and I wanted to hit myself. I put the kid down and attacked the Heartless around us, driving them back a considerable distance. Then, I concentrated, opening a dark gate. I didn't know where I was sending him, only wishing that it would go someplace safe. I lifted him up and sent him through.

When I was sure the portal was closed, I continued by run toward the clocktower. There were more Heartless as I got closer, and they were stronger too. But, there were also people from the town fighting the Heartless. Giving their lives. But I didn't see it as acts of heroism, but more foolish sacrifice.

I finally reached the clocktower, and the Darkside that was standing in front of it, and looked around. Finally, I found him, sitting with his back against the wall of a house, his coat tattered and face bloody.

"I'm guessing your plan didn't work?" I said, standing in front of him.

He breathed hard for a moment, before replying, "What plan?"

I smirked at that, but it was wiped clean when I heard the footsteps of the Darkside behind me. I turned around to find it right there, up close and personal.

"Looks like you got your work cut out for you..." Riku panted. "Good luck."

"Thanks," I replied, darting toward the Darkside. I wanted to hit it before it could even react, but I didn't account on how fast it was. With one swipe of its hand, it sent me back into the wall, next to Riku.

"Heartless, one. Develyn, zero." Riku chuckled to himself before coughing in pain.

I shook my head, trying to clear it. Alright, this time I'll try a different approach. Instead of running directly at the Darkside, who was just waiting for me to attack, I ran away from the clocktower toward one of the streets.

It followed me, as planned, and as soon as it was as close behind me as I would dare, I jumped back and turned, stabbing with my sword. Since it was bent over running, by blade plunged into its face, and it rose up, screaming its pain. I hung on, briefly realizing that a fall from this height could kill me. Then, the Darkside disappeared into a puff of black smoke, and I dropped like a stone back toward good old terra-firma.

In midair, fast thinking I must say, I created a portal and fell into it. Instead of falling to my death, I fell into pain a little humiliation right in front of Riku who was laughing his ass off.

I stood up, brushing the dirt from my jacket. "And that's how you kill a Heartless," I said to the boy, raking a hand through my sweaty hair.

"I could've done that too," he grumbled, standing up. "I just didn't feel like it."

"Yeah, I know." I looked up at the clocktower, wondering why that Heartless had been staring at it so intently. Riku joined me, staring up at it while holding his ribs.

"Nothing makes sense anymore," he commented, before fainting to the ground. I looked at him for a while before sighing, with a little cursing, and picking him up. I opened another portal, this time with more ease than the last, and stepped into it. There was only one person I felt like taking him to, but I knew he wouldn't be happy.

When the darkness cleared, he was standing right in front of me, his violet eyes cold and uncaring.

"Throw him in the bathroom or something," he said, running a hand through his white hair. "He's getting blood all over my rug." With that, Kuja turned and walked away, leaving me to take care of myself, and the boy. I sighed and cursed again.

You can't hold it back for too long...

_...hold what back...?_

The Darkness in your heart. It'll consume you, mind body and soul.

_Well then, thanks for the warning..._

Ha...funny. You always were funny.

_Yeah...that's what they all say..._

And who's they? All your friends, I suppose?

Oh right, I'm sorry. I forgot. You have no friends.

_...if this is some kind of attempt to break me, then you're doing a terrible job..._

Why would I want to break you, Develyn? You and I are the same.

_If we were the same...then I'd like you..._

You're impossible, you know that? And I'd love to keep chatting with you, but you have some business to take care of.

_...business...?_

I awoke with one of the worst headaches I'd ever experienced, so bad that I couldn't even see straight. I breathed deeply, trying not to think about the pain, and soon it calmed to a dull thud. I looked around, not recognizing the dark room I was in. It was dimly lit with candles, but other than that, a table with a pitcher of water and glasses on it, and the bed, the room was empty.

Wasn't it?

I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched, and my suspicions were confirmed when a figure stepped from the shadows. I tensed, ready to summon the keyblade and cut the figure's head off with one smooth move. But it was only Xanthe.

"What the hell are you doing creeping around in the dark like that?" I demanded, lying back down.

He shrugged. "Sorry, but Kuja suggested I check up on you and the boy. You both got beat up pretty badly, according to him."

"You would've too, if you were there," I said in defense. "There were more Heartless there than stars in the sky."

"Yes, I know," the dark man replied. "I was taking a leisurely stroll through the city when they started appearing."

"And?"

"I killed them," he finished, shrugging. "All of them around me. Gone."

I believed him too. There was no point in even questioning his credibility there, because I knew he was a strong bastard.

"Anyway, I mainly came up here to tell you that you have a visitor," Xanthe said with a smirk. He opened the door to reveal Sonia, in all her traitorous glory.

"Well well," I said. "Look what the jackal dragged in."

"I'll leave you two alone," Xanthe said, that smirk still on his face. He walked out, closing the door quietly behind him.

"Are you all right?" Sonia asked, walking slowly toward me. Her face was concerned, but I wasn't going to fall for that again.

"Yeah," I replied coldly. "How are you?"

"Develyn, I'm sorry I betrayed you," she whispered, her head down. "But I had to get my friends from Kuja. He's insane."

"Well, as long as it was a fair trade," I said, my voice still icy. So icy that even I shivered. "Then everyone wins."

"At least you're gonna get money out of it, huh?" she joked lightly, a half smile on her face.

She did have a point.

"Yeah, I guess when you put it that way," I nodded, returning her smile. "Money is man's best friend."

She poured a glass of water from a pitcher that stood on the table and handed it to me. I gulped it down, not realizing how thirsty I was until the cold water touched my lips. Once my thirst was slaked, my stomach growled loudly and I raised an eyebrow.

Sonia laughed. "When was the last time you ate, Develyn?"

"To tell you the truth, I don't remember," I said, shaking my head. "It's a damn shame when I think about it."

"Well, don't worry," she said, standing up. "I'll bring you some food. After all, I do owe you for that whole betrayal thing."

"Yeah, but I guess we can put that behind us as long as you keep serving me," I replied with a grin. She smile sweetly and walked out the door.

I sighed and lay back down, relaxing. I was comfortoble, my wounds were clean, beautiful women were serving me food. And most of all, I was alive. Maybe things wouldn't be as bad as I thought they would.


End file.
